JINAN - A new China-Europe freight train service has been launched between Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, and Budapest, capital of Hungary.

This is the fifth freight train service Jinan has opened to Europe and Central Asia, according to the city's port and logistics office, adding that goods can now reach 12 countries in Europe and Central Asia through the train routes.

Cargo trains have made 81 journeys from Jinan to Europe and Central Asia in the first half of this year, a nearly sixfold increase from a year ago, according to the office. Together they have carried a total of 65,000 tonnes of goods worth 155 million U.S. dollars.

Jinan will increase the frequency of the cross-border trains and plans to open more routes to Poland and Germany in the near future, the office said.

The China-Europe freight train service, a significant part of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, was launched in 2011 and has grown rapidly ever since.